Railway-signal.



Pat'ented not. 2s, |902.

\ G. L. WILSON,

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

(Appliationled Sept. 16, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

TN: NoRms Perms'uo. PNOTDLITHDA. WASHINGTON. o. c,

No. 712,430. Patented out. 2a, |902.

e. L. .wlLsorL RAILWAY SIGNAL.

(Application Bled Sept. 16, 1901.)

2 sheets-sheet 2.

(No Model.)

U'Ni'rnn` STATESL GENEROS L. WILSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PATENT OFFICE.

RAILWAY-SIG NAL.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N o. 712,430, dated October 28, 1902. Application tied september' 16,1961. sentire. 75,633. (Nt model.)

To @ZZ whom it 11o/tg concern:

Be it known that I, GENERoUs L. WILSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and Stateof Illi` nois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Railway-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

Railway accidents in many cases result from" the washing away of a bridge over a cut,`

stream, or culvert and from the lodgment on the track of rocks and debris from an embankment.

The object of this invention is to provide a preventive against accidents from the sources named by employing a signal which is oper` ated from the washing away of the bridge or from debris on the track and have such signal positively actuated so as to warn an approaching train of the condition of the track; and the invention consists in the features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings illustrating the invention its application to a bridge and to an embankment is shown.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a section of a railroad, showing a bridge over a river or out with the invention in connection therewith Fig. 2, a top or plan View of the arrangement of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a side elevation of a signal-post, showing the signal closed; Fig. 4, a similar View to Fig. 3, showing the signal open; Fig. 5, a sectional plan or edge view of the signal arm or support and the signal; Fig. 6, a face View or side elevation of the signal arm and signal with the slide of the arm drawn away to expose the signal; Fig. 7, an outline View showing a signal arrangement for a station in connection with an alarm-bell.

The invention is applicable to bridges over rivers, creeks, or cuts generally and to culverts or other places where there is a depression beneath the track supported on a trestle or bridgework.

Theapplication of the invention to a bridge or trestleor other similar structure is shown struction over a cut or bed C', and these parts` therefore are not specifically described. At

washed away or broken down. A The att-achment of the wire, cable, rod, chain, or other device to the bridge, trestle, orotherstructure in the construction shown in Figs. l and 2 is to the cross-ties and is by means of suitable staples or spikes b or in any other suitable manner. The signal-operating means after leaving the bridge, trestle,or other structure at each end is preferably inclosed within a tube or casing c, attached to the cross-ties or otherwise held in position and extending on each side to a signal-station or to a regular station of the road, with the signal-operating means likewise extending therein. At each end of the bridge, and at a distance therefrom not to be aifected by the washing away or falling ofthe bridge, and at a distance to enable a train to be stopped, is located a hollow post or upright D, into which a wire or other connection leads from the signal-operatin g means attached to the bridge, trestle, or other structure, and, as shown, the connection d runs through a tube or casing c branching out from the tu be or casing c, and to facilitate ease of movement for the connection it can be guided and run over pulley orguide wheels d' or other suitable guides located at the top and bottom of the post. The upper end of the post has extending out therefrom an arm E, provided on its top and bottom edges with a guide e, between which is a'sliding cover or plate E', to which at one end is attached the end of the wire or other connection d, and, as shown, a coil cl2 is provided at the point of attachment to the sliding cover or plate, which coil `permits of expansion and contraction of the wire or other connection without moving the sliding plate or cover sufficiently farto disclose the signal. Each arm E carries a suitable signal, which can be observed from an approaching locomotive or train, which signal can be of any suitable form and construction. As shown, the arm has secured thereto a battery F,

either a storage or other form of battery having sucient power to work an electric light G, connected with the battery by a wire j', running from one pole of the battery to the electric light. and a return-wire f from the electric light, running to the arm in line with the sliding plate or cover in, the arrangement shown, and a return-wire f2 from the arm to the other pole of the battery, so that when a circuit is established through the wires f, f', and f2 the electric light will be on to display the signal, which may be a red glass or other appliance g' in a reector g, surrounding the electric light, or any other suitable form 'of danger-signal may be employed. The Aarrangement shown has the connection between the battery and electric light completed with the withdrawing or receding of the plate or cover from in front of the signal, which will occur when the bridge, trestle, or other strncture is washed away or broken down, carrying with it the signal-operating means, which pulls on the wire or other connection leading to the sliding plate or cover and draws such plate or cover back to open the signal. On the inner face of one of the guides e ot' the arms, as shown, are two metal plates t and h', with a space h2 between them, and the adjoining edge of the sliding plate or cover E- has thereon a metal plate h3. The space 722 is located so that when the sliding plate or cover is in its advanced position the plate h' will not be contacted by the plate h3 to complete the circuit from the battery; but with the withdrawal of the plate or cover into the position shown in Fig. 6 the plates h and h will be connected by the plate h3, completing the circuit from the battery through the electric light back to the battery, turning on the electric light and displaying the signal.

It is to be understood that in place of a signal by an electric lighta signal from any other source of light which can be ignited by the operation of the signal-operating means from the carrying away or falling of the bridge, trestle, or other structure can be employed. The ordinary signaling drop-arm for day,with a light-signal for night, can be utilized by having the arrangement such as to display the day-signal or the night-signal if the bridge, trestle, or other structure is washed away or broken down. It will thus be seen that a danger-signal will be displayed whenever the bridge, trestle, or other structure is washed away or broken down, carrying with it the signal-operating means, as such means will actuate the danger-signal through the connection therefrom to the signal, and this display of the danger-signal must occur whenever the bridge, trestle, or other structure is in a condition to be impassable from the washing away or breaking down thereof.

The washing away or falling down ot' a bridge, trestle, or other structure can be signaled or imparted to a station H at adistance from either end of the bridge by means of a suitable signal located in the station. This signal may be a bell operated by electricity or other suitable signal. A signalfor a station is illustrated diametrically in Fig. 7 and is an electric bell. The battery I may be the battery of the station connected with the telegraph or it may be an independent battery, and this battery has a conductor z', leading to one arm of a circuit-breaker J, which, as shown, has two spring contact-arms j, separated by an insulation j', with a conductor t" leading from one of the arms to the bell and a conductor t2 leading from the bell to the other pole of the battery, as is usual in connecting electric bells with a battery. The two arms ofthe circuit-breaker J in the construction shown are'held apart by an interposed wedge or block lc', of insulating material, and this block is connected with a wire or otherdraw connection k, running through a tube c2 and attached to the main signal-operating means, and the tube c2 may be the turned end of the tube c or it may be a branch tube leading therefrom to the station, so as to carry the wire or other connection k into the station for operating the circuit. The withdrawal of the separating wedge or block 7c by a backward pull or draw on the wire or connection Zt allows the arms of the circuit-breaker to contact, completing the circuit between the battery and bell and sounding the alarm. The withdrawal of the head or block will occur if the bridge,trestle,or other structure is washed away or broken down, carrying with it the main signal-operating means, as such means nwill remain withthe bridge, trestle, or other structure and be washed away or carried down therewith,drawing on the wire or connection 7s and releasing the circuit-breaker to give the alarm.

It will be understood that the alarm can be given both at the signal-post and at the station at the same time and from the same main operating means, or the post alone can be depended upon to give the signal where the station is too far removed, or if the station is sufficiently close the signal-post can be dispensed with and the alarm be given directly to the station, and in any event the operation of the signal must occur with the washing away or breaking down of a bridge, trestle, or other structure, as the main operating means are permanently fixed thereto and go therewith, with the result of displayinga danger-signal observable from an approaching engine or train and warnin g those in charge of the engine or train that there is danger ahead.

It is preferred where the track-signal-operating means extend a considerable distance beyond each end of the danger-point to a station or signal-post to inclose such means in a tube; but this is not an absolute necessity, as the track-signal-operating means could be run over the ties and held loosely by eyes or staples, and the main purpose of the tube or casing is to prevent easy tampering with the track-signal-operating means, so as to display the danger-signal. The track-signal-operat- ICO IIO

ing means could be run direct into the signalpost or upright where it is not desired to 0perate a station-signal at some distance away, and the station-signal could be a hollow post or upright with a signal-arm, or a signal-arm or other signal could be employed at the station instead of the alarm-bell, it being immaterial in carrying out the invention as to how the signal is operated or what the nature of the signal may be so long as the track-operating signal is connected so as to perform its work in case of the Washing away or falling of a bride, trestle, or other structure.

In the claims the track-signal-operating means is called a Wire but it is understood that this term covers the use of a cord or other similar device.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

` 1. In a railway signal, the combination with a track-supporting structure, of a tracksignal-operating wire permanently secured to the track-supporting structure, a post and an arm on the post carrying an electric light and a slide automatically withdrawn to expose the light by tension of the track-signal-operating wire produced by displacement of the railsupporting structure and the track-signal-operating wire carried thereby, substantially as described.

2. In a railway signal, the combination with a track-supporting structure, of a tracksignal-operating wire permanently secured to the track-supporting structure, a post and an arm on the post carrying a light and a slide automatically withdrawn `to expose the light by direct tension of the track-signal-operating wire produced by displacement of the rail-supporting structure and the track-signal-operating wire 'carried thereby, substan- 4o` tially as described.

GENEROUS L. WILSON.

Witnesses:

OSCAR W. BOND, THOMAS B. MCGREGOR. 

